Macon Wedding And Urban Tree Cidery Reception In Atlanta – Todd + Gara

Planning a wedding is a huge undertaking. Especially if you’re doing it yourself and not hiring a wedding planner. There are so many details to tend to so nothing falls through the cracks. And it’s an even larger undertaking if you’re planning two receptions that are over ninety miles apart in the same day. Arranging for transportation, ensuring there is enough time between hair and make-up in Atlanta at Salon Kru and the bus ride to the ceremony in Macon in the morning, time to enjoy family and the reception in Macon before heading back to Atlanta, and then time for a stop to pick up/drop off people and bustle a wedding dress before arriving at Urban Tree Cidery for the second reception. It’s a lot.

Gara is a Pennsylvania girl and needed to include a Pittsburgh tradition in their wedding day. Instead of a wedding cake, there was a cookie table. Her mom made from scratch over 3500 cookies and shipped them all to Atlanta from Pittsburgh. This was also a logistical undertaking.

Todd has been a friend of mine since we worked together beginning in 1999 until 2011. We’ve stayed in touch on facebook since then. Todd is the brother I always wished I had. His laughter fills a room while he’ll hug you tight and pinch your cheek. His enthusiasm for life is all in. To be hired by a friend to document one of the most important days in his life was an honor and a pleasure. In the months leading up to Todd + Gara’s wedding day, I found myself thinking about his wedding day and tearing up while covering my face with a stupid grin. I could not be any happier for my friend to have found such a lovely woman to marry and call his wife. Gara is equally enthusiastic for time spent with those she loves and enjoys, albeit somewhat less fierce in showing it without cheek pinching.

When I asked these two what they wanted to see in their wedding photographs, Gara told me happiness. And Todd told me he wanted to see more than just his teeth. A legit request when you’ve grown up being photographed by people or cameras who struggled with dark skin. Which then morphed into phone calls telling, “Wenzel, get me results. I need results, Baby!” When I returned Todd and Gara’s wedding day to them, there might have been some fist pumping and “THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, BABY!” followed by a hug where I couldn’t breathe and a fierce cheek pinch.

With hundreds of people being included in this day of celebration for a new marriage, Todd + Gara wanted as many faces captured as possible and requested a second shooter with me. I was happy to have Tammy with me throughout the day to document all the moments, sneak off and get cookie table shots during formal portraits, and continuously find alternate and simultaneous stories to tell that truly expanded the number of images Todd + Gara received.

This was the closest the party bus could get to Todd’s Mom’s house for Gara to get dressed before the wedding ceremony. Rural highways don’t have much for shoulders.

It’s hard to light the unity candle when you’ve accidentally blown out your flames, so you just fake the lighting and laugh.

Not every bride is so lucky to have a dear friend and male attendant on her wedding day who can also bustle up her wedding dress.

Todd and Gara.
I could not have been more honored or humbled to photograph your wedding day.
I could not be any happier for you two to become married people and build a lifetime of adventures, happiness, and memories together.

Thank you for asking me to be part of of your wedding day. To trust me with documenting all the special moments for you.
For filling an entire day with bus loads of people. Wonderful people. Who share in your love for life and each other.